Werth Says Deal Not Close

Jim Salisbury of CSNPhilly.com says that he and Jayson Werth spoke through text message and that Werth has not yet made a decision.

A report came out yesterday from 97.5 the Phanatic in Philadelphia that the Phillies had offered a three-year deal to Werth that he was considering, however, there was little credibility to the story. Salisbury says that Werth told him “It’s very early. I will make an informed decision in due time.”

The three-year offer was believed to be worth $55 million with a fourth-year option. Werth’s comments shoot down that rumor to an extent, although the possibility still exists that Werth could remain with the Phillies.

28 Comments

Hes not taking that this early. I will not even enter a comment in that Manny post, thats a ridiculous idea that would take the team backwards. If Werth leaves and theyre not willing to make a big splash, I would be perfectly satisfied with bringing in Franceour or signing Matt Diaz when Atlanta non-tenders him.

Imagine being offered $55 million for three years and turning it down, especially someone like Werth with a very limited resume. UNBELIEVABLE !!!! Players like Mike Schmidt and Steve Carlton were born at the wrong time. Of course I want Werth to stay a Phillie, but the money being thrown around for these players just blows my mind.

The contracts the old timers would get today would embarrass a guy like Werth or Howard. How much would Carlton have been worth? Hed get a bigger contract than Cliff Lee is looking for. Schmidt would get a bigger one than Howard…

I have not seen any recent comments regarding a free agent who bats RH and has one of the best arms in the OF. The former gold glove winner (2007, Atlanta), Jeff “Frenchy” Francoeur is part of a rumor that the Phillies have an interest in him. I doubt he would go to the Phillies if his playing time is limited to the bench. And that would be the case since Dom Brown would have first shot in RF.

Given Brown’s MLB offensive numbers, inadequate defense, the fact that he’s in winter leagues to gain more experience, and that Amaro has said he’s not guaranteed anything, I doubt seriously that he “would have first shot in RF.”

He’s a lefty bat, too. The Phils would be wise to look into any RH platoon options just in case, and that includes Francoeur, who at least hits left handed pitching quite well, and plays better than average defense. (Francoeur also maybe isn’t as whiny as people think; he’s considered by teammates to be a good clubhouse guy.)

Bart you hit the nail on the head. I have not watched the NBA, NHL in over 5 years. NFL will soon be next. Most of the NFL guys are clowns and murderes. When this Phillies run is over I will do the same. Why so I can spend 300 to go to one game and watch 50 million dollar players hit. The owners and players have ruined pro sports forever. I make a nice living a little under six figures. Thats just enough to pay all the bills and put food on the table. I get by like the rest of you. Then you have these guys making what they make,. Good for them but I do not have to watch.

The difference, jeff, is that you’re not better than 99% of the population at what you do, nor is your skillset likely exceedingly rare (if you are and it is, I apologize, and you should probably hire a better agent). It’s sort of how this whole capitalism thing works.

The only reason they get paid so much is because it is a profitable industry to distract people from their daily lives. It is no coincidence that actors and athletes and other celebrities get paid what they do. Pro atletes are a mixed bag, many of them are bright, many are not so bright. Actors are some of the dumbest people around, they just memorize lines and are really not valuable to society inso much as they are so special that only they can act. If you research their family history you find that most actors are plugged into that business from a young age and are groomed for it at all the most expensive schools. The fantasy stories that are made up for many of them are just that, fantasy.

You see some intergenerationalism with pro sports for sure, but the difference is that they still have to perform in the field of play.

The NBA does not exist as far as I am concerned. The NFL is – to be honest – no better than old school Pro Wrestling, and given the referrees, arrests, suspensions, penalties, etc, really is not any more or less real or fake than Pro Wrestling. They still have to go out there on the field. They can still get hurt, they still work hard physically and mentally at it. But so do Pro Wrestlers. And, given the extreme control NFL refs have over the game (on every play there is a penalty committed, especially holding – so why is it called at certain times and not others…) – whos to say that the outcome is not predetermined.

The same goes for the NBA in terms of referee control, totally made up. Except the NBA is NOT physically demanding, and it actually should not be considered a sport whatsoever. Soccer and tennis are far more demanding tham basketball and should take its place in the pecking order.

Now, in the NHL and MLb – you can overcome the umpires/refs even if they are out of control through skill. Thats the real difference. Its harder to mess with the outcome of games in those two sports, same with Tennis and Soccer, its much harder for a paid off/biased/under orders referee to mess up the game.

the problem is these guys are just athletes. not drs. not school teacher, not police, not firefighters. just athelets. it will stop once the fans stop going. one day it will hit rock bottom. the yankees dont sell out with there high price ticket plan. its funny because the athletes today do not have any skill set. look at the nba. hey pylan most of these guys are not better then 99 perent of the old ball players. they didnt even make a portion. these guys dont care where they play or the fans. its ashame. dont get me started on acting today. there are none. the movies are horrible. ashton kushner. lol

Lefty I agree. I rather a high price teach that my son can learn from or a cop protecting my family. Then Howard making 125 million to play baseball. they make 125 k per game. sometimes they dont play and just sit on the bench and kept paid. here is the perfect quote from a guy on espn board.

talking about Jeter
Nice! Lets see here, that’s about $155K/game if he’s asking for 25 mil a year. Well, if you count sitting half of the game in the dugout it’s around 300K for game time. Nothing wrong with this picture, no wonder stadiums can’t fill there seats anymore. Hey boss, I demand a raise!!!

Geoff: The facts are that 1% of actors in the Screen Actors Guild make the many millions that baseball players make. (btw, 1/3 of that 1% is female). Beyond that something close to 6% makes enough money to “live on” annually. The rest of the union members work irregularly, making only hourly union wages and collecting royalty checks when their ‘image’ is replayed on commercials or reruns of a film or tv in which they had a bit role.

Re: professional sports players (of any kind), DNA “luck of the draw”, if you will, probably generally plays a part in who makes it to the big leagues as well as nepotism, which plays a role in getting any job. But in the end, especially in sports you have to ante up with the goods or you’re out.

As for the unbalanced pay scale – I’ve never understood comparing the “apples” of the sums received by the highest level of actors and pro athletes to the “oranges” of firemen, teachers, and police. The (1% of)actors and athletes we’re talking about work in a sort of personification of the capitalist system. In addition, they’re lucky enough to be paid a form of profit sharing. (I’d love to see the REAL BOOKS kept by the studios & owners – I’m sure those books would dwarf the actors & players paychecks.) The paychecks of firemen, teachers, and policemen are paid with taxpayer dollars: state and/or city tax dollars. They don’t work for a profit-making, corporate machine that’s meant to better its income by 18% – 20% annually.

Bottomline is, if you don’t want to pay the actors or the athletes, then don’t. Don’t go to the movies or the park; don’t watch them on tv. But no matter what we have to pay teachers, firemen, and police. No choice. In fact, we pay them all into retirement.